by Johnnie Grant

For 50 years some of the best golfers in the United States have come to play in the Annual Skyview Golfers Pro-Am Tournament in Asheville, NC.

The Skyview Golfers Association was founded in 1959. Its mission as a nonprofit organization was to encourage youth participation and promote the game of golf among African Americans throughout the United States. The founding members were Charles Collette, Sam Chavis, Raymond Bland, John “Brooks” Dendy, Sam Quick, Tommy Lee Nance, Boyce Layton, Dewey Rutherfordton, and James Garrett Mays.

The first Skyview Golfer’s Tournament was an all African American event, with 50 participants, intended to prepare African American golfers for the Professional Golf Associations (PGA) tour. Charles Colette served as tournament director from 1960 through 1972, and after his death Billy Gardenheight, Sr. succeeded him. Gardenheight has served in that capacity for the past 37 years.

Some of the original members of the Skyview Golfer’s Association. Photo taken in 1978. Left to right on golf cart: Parthenia Porter, Martha Gardenheight, Maggie Simms in center, on right Betty Lester, Lena Nance. 2nd row: Gilbert Payne, Roy Scott, Albert Brown, John Jones, Johnny Davidson, Henry Hardy, Howard Brown, James Harrison, Lonnie Gilliam. Back row: Billy Gardenheight, Sr., James Cain, Lawrence Wilson, David Mahaffey, Dewy Rutherfordton.  Photo courtesy of Ms. Lena Nance

Before a 1954 United States Supreme Court ruling, African Americans were not allowed to frequent public parks or play the game of golf in most Southern states. Young people interested in the game honed their skills by working as caddies or set up makeshift links around their neighborhoods. It wasn’t until the early 1960s, and under much duress, that local African Americans were able to play the greens at Asheville’s Municipal golf course, the “Muni.”

Following the desegregation of the local course, two white men, Dr. Robert McDuffie, a local pediatrician, and Walt Gossett, played a number of Skyview Pro-Am Tournaments with African American players (as well as regular games). Those games helped open the door for golfers of any ethnicity to participate in this historic tournament.

Since the first Skyview Tournament of 50 golfers, the open has grown each year. Participants have traveled from 17 states, the District of Columbia, Canada and Bermuda to participate in Skyview’s Annual Pro-Am Tournament. (Besides North Carolina, players have come from Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.)